Apparatus for separating alpha plurality of condensates of the hydrocarbon constituents of natural gas



Aug. 30 1932.. w M PARKMAN 1,875,199

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING A PLURALITY OF CONDENSATES OF THE HYDROCARBON CONSTITUENTS OF NATURAL GAS Filed NOV. 10, 1931 a v zt m Patented Aug. 30, 1932 new center.

wnrlrnn mrnn xnrnng or'irnoxsoltnrssrssrrrr; AssreNoEe or TWENTY-THREE ounnunnnnnrns no J.s. wArso v, or rnxrneron, rarssrssrrrr APPARATUS FOR snrnn n'rme A murmurs! or oonnn'nsnrns or THE irrnnocnnnon oonsrrrumvrs or NATURAL ens Application filediti'ovcinber lo, 1931. Serial 110. 574,170.

invention relates to the separation of.

natural gas asit comes from. the well into all its constituent hydrocarbon elements methane, ethane, propane, butane, .pentane, .hexane,

:25 heptane and octane. and their'liquefication in a purified form.. Mydevice deals primarily with natural gas but may be used also in the fractionation of 1 other gases. Particular problems are met with in the art of natural: 1o gas separation, such as the separationand. isolation of-the constituent hydrocarbons of. gasoline, and the separation and condensation:

selectively byv means of temperature. control of certainconstituents.of-the gas, Ihave had regard in constructing my apparatus to theseparticular problems and also its use inrelation to the larger problem of a. complete analytical separation of'natural'gas, into its hydrocarbon constituents and the liquefac-n tion of certain of such constituents.

An object of my invention is to-subject .the natural gas as itcomesfrom the well to. a cleaning and drying process for removing water and sulphur impuritiestherefromr 2252 I Anotherobject is to provide an efiicient absorption process for the purpose of separatr ing out certain highly volatile hydrocarbon constituents of the'gas 'andpreduction of the.

separated elements to'liquid form in a state so: substantially pure. 1

Anotherobject of my invention is to provide means for the complete analytical s-epa: ration of natural gas into its constituent hydrocarbon elements and forming certain con densates in a purified liquid form.

The foregoing objects are attainedby the use of my apparatus whichhas been constructedas a result of years'of experiments in the field of natural gas separation and I 4 believe other desirable results. are possible through the -.use of this device which may develop by. further experimentation.

Referring to accompanying drawing which J illustrates the preferred formor embodiment 4:3..ofmydevice; :1

Fig. 1' is a cross sectional-viewof the first extracting and separating unit employed in my invention. A y V Fig. 2 is a cross section-online' 66 of 50.:Fig. 1..

' alayer of copper wire.

Fig. 3 is a detail view in cross section through one of the perforated baflles, screen equipped. V

-.Fig. 4 is aplan view of one of the perforated bafiies with a portion of the screen broken away.

Fig. 5 is afragmentary view in plan showing a portion of one of the perforated honeycomb balfles.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

' Referring to the drawing in detail for a complete description of the Preferred. form of my apparatus, an inlet pipe I is provided to introduce natural gas from the well into the inner chamber of A, which is a cylindrical structure of "tower form and is provided with an outer shell 3. By 4 is designated a steam inlet pipe and 4a is a steam jet.

Natural gas as it comes from the well in its raw state containsmore or less water, and sulphur. For removing these impurities I provide a baffle element ofnovel construction. It is shown in detail in Fig. 5. The baffle unit 5 is made of copper sheets, laid in a series one above the other and perforated by openings of the honeycomb type, throughout the whole area of the baffle units. The baffle units are adapted to facilitate deposit of the impurities out of the gas upon the faces of the baffle perforations contacted by the gas in its passage therethrough. Another bafile element 6 is provided with openings and screened on its upper and lower surfaces by Battles units 5 are removably superimposed one upon the other at the upper and lower ends of A, and battles 6 are located immediately on top of the series of baffieso and also just underneath the upper series of plates 5. Bailies 6 are also placed at the upper and'lower ends of openings 8 spaced through A, and whose use in conly. Red cedar charcoal is dried, introduced intothe onen chambers or compartments provided within the inner section or chamber W3 of A in readiness for the inflow of gas. The

great porosity of the charcoal, in connection: with the cooling system provided between the inner and outer shells of A maintain the absorptionfof natural gas at a maximum effic1ency. V i v I t x A feature 'of my devicewhlch effects com pleterabsorption of the constituent hydrocarbon elements of natural gas is the provision of-openings 8 by which-the absorptive process isbroken up and the gas causedto pass through a plurality ,of separate bodiesof absorbing matterresulting inthe' maximum 7 contact with the exposed faces of absorbing charcoal and a resulting absorption of natural gas constltuents thereln;

The outer shell 3 withthe inner tower v structure'of A forms an enveloping space be-r tween themrwhich is the means forafi'ecting the temperature within .A'as desired; This is for the purpose of control of theabsorption process by circulating a cooling medium therein under conditions requiring it; The

"circulating medium, so circulatedcould be used to lower the temperature of A; After use the cooling'fluid' may be discharged by pipe 2. Line 22 openinginto the outer shell 3 below the top and nearthe bottom of the absorber tower'provides means for circulat ing water or other medium.

By 9 is designated a conduit pipe connected r with a headerH extending through all sec- 7 tions 7 of absorbing material and provided in each opening 8 with an lntake opening whereby-gaseous vapors'will pass from the absorberA through 9 into condenser B.. At 10, I show a conventional temperature control'valve. As steam entering at Art heats the absorber the valve 10 begins to open and is set to fully open at a predetermined temperature point which is approximately the boiling point of the constituent desired to be distilled or the boiling pointof that constituent of a group of constituents to be distilled together which is relatively the highest, for,

removing said vaporized constituents by line 9 to condenser B. At the end point of the constituent gas desired valve 10 closes and valve 14 on line 12 opens and remaining gaseous vapors distilled out of absorber 7 e by the steam are drawn off through line12 into condenser B. The flow of gaseous vapors through '12 continues until the tempera ture of A reaches approximately 280 F.

- when valve 1e automatically closes and simult aneously v automatic temperature control valves on steam connection 4a close and valve 7 20 on" line 19 opens. The intake 22 which is shown in the lower right end of A is pro: vided with automatic valve for temperature control. I Aline 19 is provided to draw off 7 from A the remaining gaseous vapors, also;

to dry out and cool absorbing charcoal 7,-

which may then used again as the'abso'rbing element. 1

o rev its to w The pipe 19 is provided with an automatic temperature control valve 2O also a gate valve A 21. Atapproximately 750 Fgvalve 20 auto mati'cally opens and a vacuum. pur np draws off'from A through 9 the steam and rernaining fractions ofgaseous vapor. These are passed 9ft through line 19. 'When A has been reduced in temperature to approximately 200f" F. the automatic valvelon the" cooling unit intake 22 opens and' the cooling system'22 is set in operation to reduce the temperature-of A as desired, aocofdin'gtothe boiling point it.issdesired toseparate and liquefyi when the absorber is againused. The charcoal'ab 1 sorber having been dried'out and cooled by the vacuum pump and cooling element, an-

of the constituent hydrocarbon element which othercycle of'operation of the absorber may?" be begun atthe proper temperature according atever' element or" elements are desired to be separated and liquefied; Ir

' The d yB isconstructedin two sec times-left right; divided by Wall- BI? through" the center from to bottom;

Above the two condensing sectionsand separated from-them by solid horizontal member, are two open chambers -Bl0;andjBl2, on the lea andright hands respectively; theia 7 left hand section of Bis. one-or more-coil ele-- ments B2, and in the right; coil BafEach coil engagesthroughthe horizontal member which separates cliaJmbersBlO and B12 froin the two sectionsof condenser B, and is-openl at its upper end for free: connection into its respective chamber Coil elements B2 and B3 are passed through' the lower endwall'of the condenser and carry B4 and B5 to.

accumulator tanks 1 pg A method of operati'on of-"myl apparatus is used for accomplishing'the separation-and liquefaction of the hydrocarbon elements of natural gas bytreating-the gas to draw'olf the constituents singly or insmall groups of those-- constituents whose boiling points do not wide ly vary. 7

Natural gas enters -at 1'- in tower A at approXimately'GO I Fband at-low pressure, pass I 1ng through baflie plates 5 for'cleaning it of foreign matter, and'into-absorber element 7 5 7 The charcoal-absorber which ruse by preference is shown'by experience to bean efficient of'the cavities of the'charcoal absorberappear to'be of more than ordinary strength, as the, t

element may be'dried' out after the,dist-illation process which follows absorption is com-1;

pleted, and it may beused again; Furtherm t more, heating of the absorbing element'dur ing theabsorption process is not; so greatas in the use of, other kinds' of absorbers, whereby y the use of the cooling system"pr'ovided, is*

made unnecessary ornearly'so;

The paraiiin hydrocarbon constituents-"of 0- pointis 258" F. and heptane, liquefying' at except methane, (256 F), then it will be necessary to reduce the temperature ofv the member A to or below -129 F., whereby ethane and all the other constituents will be or below209. E, are readily absorbed, as are .also those constituents which are, the main .constituentsof gasoline, pentane and hexane.

The boiling point of the latter is 156 F. and

. that of pentane, 98? F. Butane is still more volatile with a boiling point of 32 F. (or,

090.), propane at -&7 F, ethane at 129 F. and methane, spoken of as wild gas, almost a permanent gas, with boiling point of 256 F. It is known that no hydrocarbon constituent of natural gas will be absorbed and retained elficiently by an absorber which standsat a temperature higher than the boiling point of that constituent element. For

- if the temperature of the gas absorbing member is not lower than the boiling point of any given constituent element, that element will volatilize and pass oil. In my advice, this principle is taken advantage of to efiect a continuous, selective and approximately total separation of single or, (from the standpoint of boiling points,) closely grouped hydrocarbon constituents of the gas, and their liquefaction or condensation for any desired use.

If it is desired to condition tower A for absorbing all of the constituents, for example,

absorbed. The circulatory cooling system provided between the outer and inner shells bf A makes this possible, if desired. In practical. operation, however, a temperature is maintained at about 32 F, the boillng point of normal butane, leaving the high volatile peratureindicating and control valves, pressure recording and controlllng instruments,

whereby desired conditions may be maintained and selective operations controlled, as

stated.

Ata temperature, then, of 32 F., in absorber A, element 7 will take up all constituent elements whose boiling points are not lower than 32 F. In actual plant practice,

it is found that some of the propane will travel along with the butane and also be taken up by the absorber. Butane, pentane, heptane, hexane and octane are absorbable at 32 F. The unabsorbed elements methane, ethane and propane in part will pass off through line 15 to a compressor for further treatment.

is opened at 4a and steam enters. Treatment ;of all sections of the absorbent element 7 may be effected by entering steam below the bottom section or compartment 7 and distilling absorbed constituents through the uppermost inlet to the header, and treatment of either the bottom, middle or top sections separately may beeifected by admitting the steam by a to higher points constituent gas elements of higher and higher boiling points are caused to be thrown oil. The temperature control is ad usted to close the valve 10 at a point a few degrees below the boiling point of the gas constituent desired to be taken oil by line 9. When this point is reached valve 10 closes and valve 14 on line 12 opens. Gaseous vapors passing out of A by pipe 9 enter the left hand section B10 of condenser B. Returning to v A, we will see that by the opening of line 12,

another conduit out of A, at valve 1 1, a way is provided for all remaining absorbed gas constituents not taken off by line 9 to pass out by such line 1.2 into the right hand section B12 of B. Control element 14 on line 12 closes when the desired temperature is reached fortaking oil the remaining constituents, and as 14 closes, the steam jet 4a on steam line 4: also closes.

At the same time valve 21 on line 19 opens. During the absorption period line 15 stands open and serves to carry off the residue of gases not absorbed. When steam is introduced the valve on 15 is closed. Line 19 has a vacuum connection for drawing off whatever 'iractions of gas remain at this stage in the hollow chamber at the top of A and also for drying out and cooling the absorber member 7 for use again. WVhen vacuum line 19 has operated to dry out and cool the absorber 7 to approximately 200 F., the valve on cooling system 22 opens and the circulation of a cooling fluid therein reduces the temperature of member A to the point desired for another operation. Leaving the discussion of the treatment of the unabsorbed gases conducted off by line 15 and line 19 until later, it will be seen that in condenser B, cooling connections B6 and B7 on the left hand sec-tion B10 and B8 and B9 on the right hand section B12, are provided. These are used tolower the temperature ofthe condenser to the desired point, depending on the boiling point of the constituents introduced by lines 9 and 12, re spectively, and to be liquefied and drawn off at B 1- and B5. The gases entering B10 are reduced by coil B2 to liquid form and pass out to Bet. For example, the temperature control at 10 on line 9 maybe set at a point just below theboiling point of pentane, and as a result, all vapors of gas constituents from absorber uents of natural gas ofrelatively high boil- -The gases entering 7 of aylower boiling pointthanpentane'vvill be'drawn off by .9. Experience in the opera tion of this plant shows that'a little pentane,

the'butane and most of the propane are thus -'draw-i1 off. By action of coil'BQ these are liq- -uefie'd and pass into accumulator tank connected'with B4.

, the-gas constituents of a high boiling point and are cooled in a like manner by coil B3,

in the section on the right hand side of B, to

' g s be. condensed and drawn oil at B5.

WhatI'cIaim is I L Anaparatus of condensates of the hydrocarbon constitq-ingpoint, including an absorber member of tower like construction, means for introducing a flow of'gasinto said member near the bottom, an absorbing element disposed in said'niemberadapted to absorb hydrocarbon constituents of natural gas of relatively high boiling point, pipes for introducing steam 7 into said member below the absorbing element, a discharge pipe near'the' top of the tower-member for removal of unabsorbed gas constituentsof 10W b01l1ng point, an autoj matic temperature controlled valve on' said discharge pipe operable on admission of steam by saidsteam pipes to cutofi sald disduring the distillation period, condensers automatic temperature controlled valves on reach of said discharge pipesoperable to regulate the discharge of absorbed constituents 'frointhe member into said condensers at temperatures predetermmed according to the boiling points of said constituent gases. 2.'An apparatus for separating a plurality of condensates of the hydrocarbon v constituents of natural gas of relatively high boiling point, including a tower like absorber, arcondui-t-c'onnected near the bottom of said member for introducing natural gas from the well, perforated bafiie 2 plates grouped together near the bottom and top of "said member for'removing impurities from the gas, an absorblng' element conslsting of red cedar charcoaldisposed' in the main body "of saidmember,-a discharge pipe near the-top 1 ofthe memberfor removing unabsorbed constituents of low boiling point, pipes for inrjtroduc'ing steam in said member below the absorbing element, an automatic temperature controlled valve on said discharge pipeoperg -'able on "admission of steam by said steam pipes to cut off said discharge of unabsorbed constituents 'atthe close of-the absorption fperiod, a plurality of discharge pipes from said member for removing absorbed con- B by line 12 consist of for separating a plurality stituents during the distillation period,"aut,o-

matic temperature controlled valves on:.each p ofsa'id discharge pipes operable to regulate said discharge of absorbed-constituentsfrom said member at temperatures predetermined; according to the varying boiling points of said constituents successively reached during.

the distillation period, for effecting a selective separation of said constituents.

v3. Anapparatus for separating a plurality ;of condensates or the hydrocarbon constituents of natural gas having a-relativelyhigh boiling point, including anabsorberand distillation member of shell construction and tower form, a pipe entering said'membernear the-bottoinfor introducing gas, perforated bafi'le plates grouped together near the bot- 'tomoi' said member intermediate the gas in.-

flow and the main body of said member and also near the top of said member so as to provide an open space near the top'foflthe member, baffle plates arranged in pairs throughout the main body :of the member so'as to form compartments for an absorbingelement' with spaced openings between each of said compartments, a charcoal ab-- sorbing element housed in each ofsaid compartments pipes ior introducing steam into said member below the absorbingelement, a

discharge pipe, connecting in said member near thetop for removing unabsorbed con; i

stituents of low boiling point, an automatic temperature controlled valve .on said discharge pipe operable on admission of steam I by said steam pipes to .cut off said 'discharge'fmo at the close of the absorption period, a plurality of discharge pipes froin'said member for. removing absorbed constituents during the distillation period, a header connected with one ofsaid discharge pipes and connect-:

ing in each of the spaced openings in said member, automatic temperature controlled valves on said discharge pipes operableto regulate the discharge of absorbed constituents from said member at temperatures predetermined according to the varyingv succes siveboiling points ofsaid constituents, consaid constituents. V

. 4;; An apparatus for separating a plurality of condensates of hydrocarbon constituents of natural gas having relatively high boiling points, including a unitary absorber andv d stillmg member of tower shell COIL-f struction, a plpe entering said member near 'densers connectedwith said discharge pipes adapted for efiecting the condensation of thebottom forintroducingnatural gas, perforated honey comb copper baffle plates grouped together in said member intermediate the gas inflow" and the mainbody of themember for removing impurities from the gas, a charcoal absorbing elementdisposed in said-member, a discharge pipe near the top of said member for removing unabsorbed constltuents of low boiling points, pipes for introducing steam into said member below the absorbing element, an automatic temperature controlled valve on said pipe to cut off the discharge of said unabsorbed constituents on admission of steam by said steam pipes at the close'ot the absorption period, a plurality of discharge pipes from said member for removing selectivelythe absorbed constituents during the distillation process, automatic temperature controlled valves on each of said pipes operable to regulate the discharge of absorbed constituents from said member at temperatures predetermined according to the varying boiling points of said constituents either singly or in groups of such constituents as do not widely vary.

5. An apparatus for separating a plurality of condensates of the hydrocarbon constituents of natural gas having relatively highboiling points, including a unitary absorber and distilling member of upright tower form, a pipe entering said member near the bottom for introducing natural gas, baffle plates for removing impurities from the gas grouped together near the bottom above the gas pipe and near the top so as to provide an open pocket at the top, baflies arranged in pairs throughout the main body ofthe member so as to form compartments for an absorbing element with spaced openings between said compartments, a solid absorbing element disposed'in each of said compartments, pipes for introducing steam into said member below the absorbing element, a discharge conduit connected in the pocket at the top of said member for removing unabsorbed constituents of low boiling point, an automatic temperature controlled valve on said discharge conduit operable on admission of steam by said steam pipes to cut off the discharge at the close of the absorption period, a plurality of discharge pipes from said member for removing absorbed constituents during the distillation period, a header connected with one of said discharge pipes and cooperating in each of the spaced openings in said member, automatic temperature controlled valves on each of said discharge pipes operable to regulate the discharge of absorbed constituents from said member at tem peratures predetermined according to the varying boiling points of said constituents. condensers connected with said discharge pipes adapted to effect condensation of said constituents.

6. An apparatus for separating a plurality of condensates of hydrocarbon constituents of natural gas of higher boiling points, including an absorber member tower like and of shell construction, a gas line entering said member'at the bottom, baflie plates in said member disposed multiple near the upper and lower ends and singly throughout said member to provide housings, a charc al absorbing element arranged in each of said housings, pipes for introducing steam in said member below the absorbing element, a discharge conduit near the top of said member for removing unabsorbed constituents during the absorption period, an automatic temperature controlled valve on said conduit operable on admission of steam by said steam pipes to cut off said discharge of highly volatile constituents at the close of the absorption period, a plurality of discharge pipes from said member for removing absorbed constituents of higher boiling points during a distillation period, automatic valves on each of said discharge pipes controlled by the temperature in said member operable to regulate the discharge of absorbed constituents from said member at predetermined temperatures according to the varying successive boiling points reached during the distillation process, said temperature control of said discharge operating to eifect a multistage, selective separation of said constituents.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WALTER M. PARKMAN. 

